"At a deeper level, we also look to our social scientists, philosophers, historians, artists & others to help us to rebuild our sense of nationhood, our independence and our ability to take our place proudly in the community of nations."

ABOUT NIHSS

The National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) was established on 5 December 2013 as an independent statutory body in terms of Gazette No. 37118 vol. 582 and in accordance with Section 69 read with sections 38A, 38B, and 38C of the Higher Education Act (Act No 101 of 1997). The scope or application of the NIHSS will be to advance and co-ordinate scholarship, research and ethical practice in the fields of Humanities and the Social Sciences (HSS) within and through the existing public universities and those to be established or declared in future as public Universities. The work of the NIHSS will be guided by the following principles: The principle of co-operation between institutions and the establishment of communities of scholarship in South Africa, Africa and international; The principle of norm-driven internationalisation, (co-operation and collaboration will not be for its own sake but on the basis of mutual respect and development); The principle of social responsibility and equity as enshrined or implied in the Constitution, and; The principle of functional differentiation as opposed to resource differentiation.Read more

Mobile Exhibition

The African Pathways Programme is the elaboration of the Continental and Global South scope of the Institute. The aim is primarily to develop an African-centred Erasmus-type programme and, further, to facilitate national curriculum innovations. The Institute will strive to create an open and dynamic process through which African scholars cooperate, collaborate and help one another reflect on the past, present and future of this continent. This will require engagement with continental bodies like CODESRIA, various governments and their education ministries, and other African higher education institutions. The programme will be complimented by a Phd Scholarship programme for non-South Africans studying in South African institutions.

The NIHSS collaborates annually with the South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA) to extend 150 scholarships per annum to full-time PhD students based at South African universities. The main objective of this programme is to promote scholarship and address inequities in the humanities and social sciences. To ensure that successful applicants are provided with structured intellectual and mentorship support, the NIHSS-SAHUDA cooperation has created an ambitious national doctoral programme for the humanities and social sciences. The NIHSS Strategic Plan for 2015 – 2020 sets a target of 900 South African students partaking in Doctoral Schools by 2020. The NIHSS Doctoral Programme thus serves to advance postgraduate scholarship through a variety of innovations, including:

Providing scholarships for postgraduate students studying in the humanities and social sciences;

Strengthening a student-centred culture in the higher education system and helping to create an environment where the critical, analytical and normative capacities of students are enhanced;

Ensuring collaborative supervision of doctoral students by two or more universities, which could include South African universities collaborating with universities outside the borders of South Africa; and

Addressing inequities with regard to the demographic composition of PhD holders.

Catalytic Research Projects and Humanities Hubs refer to a primarily research-based programme, which aims to catalyse and open up new avenues for HSS scholarship, and to assist in and promote the development of research in the HSS. This is to be undertaken through the establishment of a network of researchers across the university system in South Africa. Such networks may also include researchers and collaborations beyond the borders of South Africa.

The aim is to sustain activities that support the following:

Coherent collaborative research programmes that involve a network of researchers in study areas that have been approved;

Research to design a coherent, collaborative research programme where there is some existing knowledge base and expertise to draw on but which needs to be tabled for approval to become as above;

Proposals to engage in research in largely unexplored areas; and

Thematic annual events aimed at broader public participation in, and promotion of, the HSS as a vital part of public culture.

Catalytic Projects

Project Leader(s) Identified

Institution

Lineages of Freedom - Academic Programme

Prof. Fred Hendricks

South African Humanities Dean Association

Lineages of Freedom - Cultural Programme

Prof. D Brown

University of Western Cape

Lineages of Freedom

Prof Fred Hendricks

Rhodes University

Strengthening Professional Associations

Prof. Tina Uys

University of Johannesburg

Pre-1652 Historiography

Prof. Lungisile Ntsebeza

University of Cape Town

Heritage Hubs - from Heritage Sites to Knowledge Hubs

Dr Mcebisi Ndletyana

Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection

Heritage Hubs -Migrant Labour Museum and Knowledge Centre

Prof Mcedisi Somniso

University of Fort Hare

Traditions of Popular Education in South Africa

Prof. Shirley Walters

University of Western Cape

Traditions of Popular Education in South Africa: Workplace and Distant Education